6 hours ago, JUSTA6 said:

So a small shop by her house has looked at her Torrent 3 times about an issue with losing RAD fluid and the temp gauge only working here N there.  Last time saying it's a leaky Rad.  Never a drop in the driveway.  Not buyin it, esp since they are charging over $1200 to replace.  ( I can't do it as I have no catch for the A/C)  Dropped it at the only shop I trust and they called this AM to say it's a head gasket and too big a job for them.  Have a buddy that works from his shop that wants to check it out, but is too swamped to take on a head gasket job right now.  Job takes up a bay for too many days as they have the head checked for cracks, resurfaced, new gaskets ect. Doesn't make ANY sense to do one side, needs to be both. Have Keith check it out N see what he says.

I justa appreciate the help Dad! My poor old baby daily driver... Need to get her together.... Maybe she's jealous of all of Red's photo shoots... If I don't laugh, I might cry so jokes it is... Unless this isn't a joke.... Red does have her own room too... Cars DO talk in the driveway... 

2 hours ago, JustAG6 said:

I justa appreciate the help Dad! My poor old baby daily driver... Need to get her together.... Maybe she's jealous of all of Red's photo shoots... If I don't laugh, I might cry so jokes it is... Unless this isn't a joke.... Red does have her own room too... Cars DO talk in the driveway... 

Don't laugh..it's true.  They plot which one will cause the biggest disaster if they break down. Winner pukes it's rad fluid or worse!  Have always liked that Pontiac Torrent from the 1st time I saw it.  Been a most excellent daily driver.  Can't seem to exactly find the  problem.  Could be a number of things, depending on who you talk to.  Might be time to move on.

Great pics JG6! Sorry to hear about Torrent. 

5 hours ago, JUSTA6 said:

Don't laugh..it's true.  They plot which one will cause the biggest disaster if they break down. Winner pukes it's rad fluid or worse!  Have always liked that Pontiac Torrent from the 1st time I saw it.  Been a most excellent daily driver.  Can't seem to exactly find the  problem.  Could be a number of things, depending on who you talk to.  Might be time to move on.

come on JustA, you can do a leak down test on it yourself to prove the head gasket is at fault... and then if it is. maybe look at justA buying a whole motor, rather than mucking around doing head work.. etc...come on dad !.. no pressure  

8 minutes ago, Wrongway said:

Great pics JG6! Sorry to hear about Torrent. 

wrongway ! how did your brake conversion go on the 63  ?????

On 9/11/2023 at 1:40 AM, 64 kiwi boni said:

 

On 9/10/2023 at 10:56 PM, JustAG6 said:

 

 

 

 

Ah Vinsetta's Garage.....for some background, Vinsetta's Garage was once a working garage for nearly 99 years! It closed in the early 2000s. I have a picture of Lucy in front of it when it was still a garage store front.

Vinsetta was purchased by someone from Road and Track magazine's Detroit office and they turned it into a restaurant.

A TV show called VInsetta's Garage was on the old Velocity / Motortrend channel that was hosted by Courtney Hansen. It lasted a single season.

Edited September 12, 20232 yr by Frosty

1 hour ago, Frosty said:

Ah Vinsetta's Garage.....for some background, Vinsetta's Garage was once a working garage for nearly 99 years! It closed in the early 2000s. I have a picture of Lucy in front of it when it was still a garage store front.

Vinsetta was purchased by someone from Road and Track magazine's Detroit office and they turned it into a restaurant.

A TV show called VInsetta's Garage was on the old Velocity / Motortrend channel that was hosted by Courtney Hansen. It lasted a single season.

Kurt Catallo, Local Clarkston guy that started the Clarkston Union and has since dominated the resturant market in Clarkston. Turned Vinsetta's into a resturant.  Huge Hotrod fan and has some very impressive cars.  He went to school here with my son.  Back in the mid to late 70's, Vinsettas was a carb rebuild shop.  Hauled many a carb down there from the service station I was workin at before GM.

Edited September 12, 20232 yr by JUSTA6

8 hours ago, 64 kiwi boni said:

wrongway ! how did your brake conversion go on the 63  ?????

Well Kiwi, I think it went well.  I haven't been able to truly test them yet, but it stopped really well when I pushed it up the driveway.  When I did the conversion the car was taken a part for paint and body work. I justa finished the artwork on the sides of the car. After today there is no rain for the next week and I'm hoping to be able to paint the rest of the car. Then reassemble and test drive.

3 hours ago, Frosty said:

Ah Vinsetta's Garage.....for some background, Vinsetta's Garage was once a working garage for nearly 99 years! It closed in the early 2000s. I have a picture of Lucy in front of it when it was still a garage store front.

Vinsetta was purchased by someone from Road and Track magazine's Detroit office and they turned it into a restaurant.

A TV show called VInsetta's Garage was on the old Velocity / Motortrend channel that was hosted by Courtney Hansen. It lasted a single season.

Kurt Catallo owns that and many others under the Union Joints brand... He went to school with my brother. The old Morgan's garage downtown Clarkston is is Hanchos. The Fenton firehall was an old firehall... He repurposes cool buildings at least. 

1 hour ago, Wrongway said:

Well Kiwi, I think it went well.  I haven't been able to truly test them yet, but it stopped really well when I pushed it up the driveway.  When I did the conversion the car was taken a part for paint and body work. I justa finished the artwork on the sides of the car. After today there is no rain for the next week and I'm hoping to be able to paint the rest of the car. Then reassemble and test drive.

Has anyone mentioned we like pic's??? 

4 hours ago, Wrongway said:

Well Kiwi, I think it went well.  I haven't been able to truly test them yet, but it stopped really well when I pushed it up the driveway.  When I did the conversion the car was taken a part for paint and body work. I justa finished the artwork on the sides of the car. After today there is no rain for the next week and I'm hoping to be able to paint the rest of the car. Then reassemble and test drive.

you soooooo have to show us some pics mate !!!!

12 hours ago, JUSTA6 said:

Has anyone mentioned we like pic's??? 

Nope, I hadn't heard that ol' buddy. 

9 hours ago, 64 kiwi boni said:

you soooooo have to show us some pics mate !!!!

Give me a couple days to get the artwork cleaned up and wet sanded and you have my word I'll post a couple pics.

Edited September 13, 20232 yr by Wrongway

1 hour ago, Wrongway said:

Nope, I hadn't heard that ol' buddy. 

Give me a couple days to get the artwork cleaned up and wet sanded and you have my word I'll post a couple pics.

exciting !!!!!!

On 9/8/2023 at 9:30 PM, JUSTA6 said:

Had the block done to remove all the jelly I posted about when I tore down the motor. This usually only happens when you mix 2 different anti freezes.  I had never done that, but then remembered I used Water Wetter, an additive that drops your operating temp 20 degrees. During Dream Cruise many years ago in frustration. It did work.  I only used water to start with in case it had to be drained after firing the motor.  Worked well for awhile but temp shot up on way home from the 1st gas station run.   Added Rislone cleaner thinking I somehow didn't get everything out of the Rad.  The only possible gunk catcher is the bottom of rad no matter how well I thought it was cleaned.  Work for DC and Labor day perfect 160 max temp. Will drain and add antifreeze before winter.  Only thing left to check is my intake for the exhaust backfire.  Doesn't make sense to me, but my machine shop owner said they had a prob that drove them all nuts this summer until they sprayed the intake and got a reaction.  Need to pick up some start fluid tomorrow N give er a try.

After 4 days, two different highly efficient coolant flushing additives & 15 clean water flushes it finally ran clean & clear! That lasted one day & the next ugly issue raised its head. Pulled the car out to wash the engine, it was a mess from all the flushing & splashing. Plus washed the car. Go to start it up to move it into the garage, nothing! Good battery, but no crank! Now I need too move the car over in the driveway to get it in its space in the garage. The driveway has a incline, not much, but enough to make it tough for an old man to push 3750 pounds uphill! But I got it done. Went to NAPA the next day got a remote starter. Got the car started swapped it around to back of the garage. Started diagnosing the problem! Long story short found what I was sure it was! If you can’t tell, I’m giving the GM electrical engineer the finger! Morons!

On 9/11/2023 at 11:01 AM, JUSTA6 said:

So a small shop by her house has looked at her Torrent 3 times about an issue with losing RAD fluid and the temp gauge only working here N there.  Last time saying it's a leaky Rad.  Never a drop in the driveway.  Not buyin it, esp since they are charging over $1200 to replace.  ( I can't do it as I have no catch for the A/C)  Dropped it at the only shop I trust and they called this AM to say it's a head gasket and too big a job for them.  Have a buddy that works from his shop that wants to check it out, but is too swamped to take on a head gasket job right now.  Job takes up a bay for too many days as they have the head checked for cracks, resurfaced, new gaskets ect. Doesn't make ANY sense to do one side, needs to be both. Have Keith check it out N see what he says.

JustA, a thought you might consider if JustaG6 isn’t going to redo the heads right away is Irontite ceramic motor seal or their all weather seal. Both are suppose to be good. Their Thoro-Flush was the last product I used to flush the Indian’s coolant system & that seemed to make the difference.

Our summer story seems to have paralleled as I ended up pushing the GTO around.  Still don't have the Sunbird right.  Yes, I/ we ordered  Blue Devil.  As the last leakdown test played out to head gasket. And it's not enough to make steam from the exhaust, why not give it try.  Only Loosing a small amount from the res each week.  Will closely monitor to see if this works.  The Torrent is in great shape,  Mel does a great job of taking care of it.  No rust.  Biggest issue is the antifreeze level dropping and loosing heat. She had the system BURPED twice last winter.  Both times thinking they would replace the sender for the temp gauge as it works on N off. Both the G6 and the Torrent are 07's.  That's my girl... Keepin the Pontiac dream alive.

10 hours ago, JUSTA6 said:

Our summer story seems to have paralleled as I ended up pushing the GTO around.  Still don't have the Sunbird right.  Yes, I/ we ordered  Blue Devil.  As the last leakdown test played out to head gasket. And it's not enough to make steam from the exhaust, why not give it try.  Only Loosing a small amount from the res each week.  Will closely monitor to see if this works.  The Torrent is in great shape,  Mel does a great job of taking care of it.  No rust.  Biggest issue is the antifreeze level dropping and loosing heat. She had the system BURPED twice last winter.  Both times thinking they would replace the sender for the temp gauge as it works on N off. Both the G6 and the Torrent are 07's.  That's my girl... Keepin the Pontiac dream alive.

Just to be clear on my end, the Irontite product is the one that has the Ceramic Motor Seal as well as the All Weather Seal. Not blue devil.

Edited September 14, 20232 yr by Last Indian

Blue Devil comes recommended from a couple of sources.  Have always shy'ed away from this kind of stuff, from oil stop leak to rad, power steering or trans.  I figure this way. A normal car payment anymore is $400.  If she gets another 6 months out of the car, it's well worth it. It is quite pricey, but she found it online for 1/2 of what we could buy it off the shelf.  (under $40)

23 hours ago, JUSTA6 said:

Blue Devil comes recommended from a couple of sources.  Have always shy'ed away from this kind of stuff, from oil stop leak to rad, power steering or trans.  I figure this way. A normal car payment anymore is $400.  If she gets another 6 months out of the car, it's well worth it. It is quite pricey, but she found it online for 1/2 of what we could buy it off the shelf.  (under $40)

Copy that Steve! I personally for me, would rather tear something down & fix it right than use a band-aid. But I have been accused of being a bit anal! 

JustA to expound on the electrical engineer moron comment. This is the third 97-03 Grand Prix I have had to replaced the ignition harness do to the failure of the switch design failure. Unlike the switches of old like Frosty’s Lucy! Separate lock cylinder, one main hot 12 volt line heavy duty direct contact switch. They felt 5 main 12 volt lines, feeding 16, 8 on one side 8 on the other .020 thick that rotate as you turn the lock. Which is integrated as a molded one piece assembly. When the fingers get close to each other they arch like a set of points! Which any of you who have ever worked on old school distributor points know what happens. They burn & cause corrosion! Eventually makes it more & more difficult to pass electrical energy across. So when I did the load test for the 12 volt wire that’s involved it is only passing 3.4 volts because of this corrosion. Seriously! What a joke, but not funny! And for this incompetence I get to pay GM a mere $160 for a new one & a ridiculous amount of work.

46 minutes ago, Last Indian said:

Copy that Steve! I personally for me, would rather tear something down & fix it right than use a band-aid. But I have been accused of being a bit anal! 

Same here, but really have no place to work on it. You've all seen my garage.  My hip is at a point where something has to be done.  Workin on the Sunbird has really taken it's toll.  Justa can't keep this up.  Even bending over workin on the top side, I can only work for a bit and have to take a GM break!

9 hours ago, Last Indian said:

JustA to expound on the electrical engineer moron comment. This is the third 97-03 Grand Prix I have had to replaced the ignition harness do to the failure of the switch design failure. Unlike the switches of old like Frosty’s Lucy! Separate lock cylinder, one main hot 12 volt line heavy duty direct contact switch. They felt 5 main 12 volt lines, feeding 16, 8 on one side 8 on the other .020 thick that rotate as you turn the lock. Which is integrated as a molded one piece assembly. When the fingers get close to each other they arch like a set of points! Which any of you who have ever worked on old school distributor points know what happens. They burn & cause corrosion! Eventually makes it more & more difficult to pass electrical energy across. So when I did the load test for the 12 volt wire that’s involved it is only passing 3.4 volts because of this corrosion. Seriously! What a joke, but not funny! And for this incompetence I get to pay GM a mere $160 for a new one & a ridiculous amount of work.

Last Indian . At least you know how and where to find the issue ! Imagine all the poor souls who have paid through the neck to have the same issue resolved ! 

14 hours ago, JUSTA6 said:

Same here, but really have no place to work on it. You've all seen my garage.  My hip is at a point where something has to be done.  Workin on the Sunbird has really taken it's toll.  Justa can't keep this up.  Even bending over workin on the top side, I can only work for a bit and have to take a GM break!

Sorry to here about your hip Steve! Not a good thing! Pain is never a good thing! Hope it can be resolved without a replacement🤞

5 hours ago, 64 kiwi boni said:

Last Indian . At least you know how and where to find the issue ! Imagine all the poor souls who have paid through the neck to have the same issue resolved ! 

You are so right Kiwi! I have read over & over again on different sites all the folks who have had this or that fail & they can’t find the problem! They have spent untold hours chasing an issue with no results, even at a dealer. In some cases I have read that the car has sat for many months. 
The stupid design controls nearly every major function in the car directly or indirectly with the drivetrain being the exception. These 5 12 volt hot wires of the ignition harness/switch, control the radio, heater controls, starter, seats, lights, locks, etc! The only good news out of all of this is Pontiac was unique in this design, all the other divisions used body control modules, which are a bigger nightmare! Pontiacs design is actually much more in the vain of the old school design! It’s JustA that the design of the component is really poor! It really wouldn’t have taken much more effort to make it a really good one! Sad!

On 9/12/2023 at 9:05 AM, Frosty said:

Ah Vinsetta's Garage.....for some background, Vinsetta's Garage was once a working garage for nearly 99 years! It closed in the early 2000s. I have a picture of Lucy in front of it when it was still a garage store front.

Vinsetta was purchased by someone from Road and Track magazine's Detroit office and they turned it into a restaurant.

A TV show called VInsetta's Garage was on the old Velocity / Motortrend channel that was hosted by Courtney Hansen. It lasted a single season.

Well after alot of Low Ball offers I've decided to KEEP the Bonneville !! This is a great driving car and look forward to many,many more!! Sold the 1963 Cadillac Convertible tonight! Alittle sad, but needed it to go.

I am so pleased Wayne !!! 
I am never selling my bonni 

it’s justA  awsum car to drive 

Wayne, I know you know this....the Bonnie is welcome back to Frankenmuth or Michigan for that matter, any time bud! I was a tad sad that you were going to sell her.

Thanks frosty!! I would have loved to make Frankenmuth this year, but Health kept me home! Plan for next year is US Nationals and then make our way up to The Muth!!😃